The EC 2/5 Firing Campaign
The EC 2/5 Île-de-France
Squadron 2/5 is one of the oldest in the French Air and Space Force, carrying the legacy of French pilots who fought in the RAF during World War II. Equipped with Mirage 2000 C and B , it now specializes in:
Air defense of the national territory (Operational Scramble)
Advanced training of young fighter pilots
Foreign deployment missions within the framework of NATO and European defense.
Box of Mirage's back on the base
Objectives and Context : A High-Intensity Training Exercise
In June 2021, Squadron 2/5 "Île-de-France," equipped with Mirage 2000Cs, deployed to Air Base 126 in Solenzara, Corsica, as part of its annual air-to-air and air-to-ground gunnery qualification campaign. This campaign aimed in particular to qualify young pilots in the use of the 30mm DEFA cannon and in air-to-air gunnery against towed targets and ground gunnery on targets with Mirage 2000D support, in conjunction with the squadron's involvement in Operation Barkhane.
This essential operational meeting allows pilots to obtain or renew their gunnery qualification, a necessary condition for maintaining operational fighter pilot status.
Campaign Objectives
This campaign had several major objectives:
Qualify young pilots in live-fire procedures
Maintain the skills of veteran pilots in a realistic environment
Improve patrol coordination
Work on firing accuracy, particularly on towed targets and floating panels
Train teams for intensive deployment, with on-board logistics
The firing mainly involved:
The DEFA 30 mm cannon, used both in air-to-air firing (against towed targets) and air-to-ground firing (on panels at sea),Multiple firing passes, up to 6 per mission, in real-life conditions.
The Mirage 2000C of the EC 2/5 SQuadron waiting her pilots in earling morning
Training and Operational Procedures Objectives
Instruction Phase
The training took place in three progressive stages:
Accustomization Flights: The young pilots began with tandem flights (Mirage 2000B) accompanied by instructors.
Camera Missions: Simulated flights without live firing, but recorded for technical correction
Live Firing: Once the previous flights were validated, the young pilots performed up to eight real missions, both day and night.
Mirage 2000 C & B taking off for her mission
Personnel and Air Resources
About ten Mirage 2000 aircraft deployed on site (Mirage 2000C/RDI and Mirage 2000B two-seaters)
Approximately 30 pilots, including experienced and young pilots undergoing training on the 2/5
More than 100 mechanics and technical personnel deployed for cannon and practice bomb armaments, logistics, and ground maintenance
A Mirage 2000 B on "pre-flight" mode before starting up
Firing Organization
1 ) Air-to-Air Firing
For air-to-air firing, an Alphajet from the Air Force Academy was specially deployed to tow a remote target. The munitions, although real, did not impact the target: the detection system measured the proximity of the shot using acoustic sensors, allowing the firing pass to be validated or not.
Criteria: Minimum 2 successful passes out of 4. Each pass validated by at least 2 shells passing within 6 meters of the target.
The Alphajet of the Air school taking of with the target
NH90 Caïman TTH (tactical transport), a key vector for troop transport and medical evacuation with the 3 RHC
Tigre HAD (Support and Destruction variant) from the Army, a formidable asset for fire support and anti-tank missions with the 5 RHC
2 ) Air-to-Ground Firing
At sea, the pilots aimed at floating targets or TAC 100 bodies, standard target types for gunnery training in simulated ground attack conditions, and sometimes with LGTR training bombs from Mirage 2000s.
A Mirage 2000 C taking of with a LGTR
NH90 Caïman TTH (tactical transport), a key vector for troop transport and medical evacuation with the 3 RHC
Tigre HAD (Support and Destruction variant) from the Army, a formidable asset for fire support and anti-tank missions with the 5 RHC
Logistics and Ground Support
Intensive maintenance thanks to a team of more than 100 technicians, including armorers, mechanics, and fuelers, working day/night shifts.
Efficient fleet management: few aircraft are stored in hangars; most remain on active parking between sorties. Mechanics and armorers are mobilized on day/night shifts, ensuring optimal availability of the Mirage 2000s.
A Mirage 2000 C in this hangar for her maintenance
NH90 Caïman TTH (tactical transport), a key vector for troop transport and medical evacuation with the 3 RHC
Tigre HAD (Support and Destruction variant) from the Army, a formidable asset for fire support and anti-tank missions with the 5 RHC
Rate and Performance
Up to 15 takeoffs per day, with missions conducted in patrols of 2 to 4 aircraft. Two distinct operational routes: one dedicated to firing, the other to training/instructional missions, with separate ramp offices. Rapid turnaround between each flight (rate every 15-20 minutes) thanks to well-established ground maintenance.
Relocation of Operational Standby
During the month of June 2021, the 2/5 "Île-de-France" fighter squadron, normally stationed at Orange Air Base 115, conducted its annual cannon firing campaign at Solenzara Air Base 126, Corsica. For this occasion, the Operational Standby (OP), usually located in Orange, was temporarily relocated to Solenzara.
A Mirage 2000 C of the "Permanence Operationnelle" taking of after a scramble
Highlight: Marine Pollution Detection
Conclusion
The June 2021 campaign in Solenzara was a complete operational success, from a technical, educational, and logistical perspective. It enabled a new generation of fighter pilots to gain real-world experience in a demanding environment, while ensuring the qualifications of more experienced aviators were maintained.
I would like to particularly thank the French Air Force & Ba 126 personnel for their accessibility and kindness, without their accreditations some photos would not have been possible !
Thank you for your trust without which this inside tour would not have been possible.
© Clément WLD, the pictures and the content of this website are not free of rights.